The Great War of the Instruments
by Galaxy Girl and Barbara Fett
Summary: This will have a LOT of chapters when it's done. It's the story of the war between the trumpets and the alto saxes at two schools...
1. Trouble Begins

instruments war-1 A/N: Welcome! This part was written by Barbara Fett. For now, we are pretty much taking turns writing parts. This entire story will be easier to understand if you read [The Flying Warriors][1] and the Dr. Ammon Lethargic stuff first. gyncks deserves a BIG thank you for graciously allowing me to use the characters of the trumpet gods in this story. Thank you!!! :-)   


It was the dead of winter. The skies were gray, the trees were bare, and the streets were wet from the night's rain. Up on the mountains, there was a new fall of snow. 

The Adnawite School was empty; everyone was at home for the holidays. It was early morning and there was frost on the sparse grass on the field of Gnos. Upon this dreary scene, the four main trumpet gods arrived and looked with interest. 

Two months ago, the color guard from this school had fought off spies from the neighboring land of Agnomacuc-Ohcnar. Most of the spies had been from the trumpet section, and those who weren't had been from other brass sections. Nine days later, both the Ohcnar and Adnawite bands had gone to a big city called Viva for an important competition, and Adnawite had won decisively. The prize: bragging rights, a trophy, and the privilege of going to the following year's national finals. 

The trumpet gods entered the hallway of the building nearest the field of Gnos. In the middle of the hallway was a large, square indentation in the wall, crowded with plaques and trophies. They could see more trophies in a room at the opposite end of the hall. _They are _so _much better than the Ohcnars!_

Within the dark, silent band room were still more trophies and banners. After denting an alto saxophone just because it was there, they moved on into the true nerve center of the place - the office of the Music Master. 

Like anyone else, they saw the wall of pictures, the computer, the desk, and the CD collection. Unlike anyone else, they perceived all the thoughts that had occurred recently in the room. 

They stood there, sorting through them. There were many, many thoughts in the room, and Dumbusretardano's face twisted into an evil smile when he found the one he was looking for. 

"Yes," he said to the others, "the Music Master has chosen the music for next year's show. He just sent it to the drill designer." 

"Great," responded Felexatrumpetishyperia. "If we act now, we can mess up Adnawite's show so they won't win finals, and avenge our Ohcnar friends!" 

Smirking, all of them demanifested out of the room. There was something to be done that would accomplish their ultimate purpose by making Adnawite's trumpets and alto saxes hate each other when marching season came again. 

******* 

They manifested far away from the land of Adnawite, in a small house where a strange, bearded man lived. The Music Master knew him; he was Jeff Roderic, designer of all the drills used in Adnawite. 

He was just sitting down to his work when the trumpet gods came in. Silently, they moved forward and took control of his mind. 

It seemed to Jeff that he was having one of those strange but pleasant moments of inspiration. His thoughts flowed: _Hey, the last show was really great, and the trumpets and clarinets passed through. In fact, half the clarinet section had to pass through twice! I think I'll give the clarinets a break this year and have the trumpets and alto saxes pass through._

He made a note of this immediately, typing it into his computer. The gods quickly left him, remanifested in the field of Gnos, and began to laugh madly, gleefully. There was nothing they liked better than stirring up trouble! 

******* 

It was now the hottest part of summer. The drill had been written, the music sent to each and every band member. Those who had been in band before were practicing in earnest, because band camp began in just a few days. 

The trumpet gods made their next move at this time. They tracked down everyone in their section and possessed them as they had Jeff, only in a deeper, longer-lasting way. 'They could control any of their actions at any time, but they concealed their presence from them. The kids had no idea something odd was going on. 

The night before band camp was to start, all the trumpets fell asleep thinking, _We're going to see the alto sax section tomorrow, and we're going to kick their wimpy woodwind butts! We're the best section and we're going to rule the band!_   


Disclaimer: I don't own the setting or the characters (some are based on real people, others are gyncks's, used by permission). I - er, _we - _write because it's fun. (Right, Galaxy Girl?) 

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=story-read&storyid=229070



	2. Challenge at Natsnud School

A/N: This chapter is from Galaxy Girl. :-) The name "Kiree" is pronounced Kee-ree. 

The dark clouds that covered the field of Gnos at Adnawite School were also visible many miles away in the big city of Revned. Here, in the suburbs of Revned, was the place known as Natsnud School. These kids were not on winter break just yet, there were still many more hours of backbreaking study to go for the students.   
  
Down in the room of D*nab, a violent struggle was going on. A struggle for pride and glory among the group known only as the Patriot Warriors. The prize in this contest was no trophy, but the first chair solo in the upcoming concert in the great hall of Boettcher.   
  
She looked at the boy next to her with an evil glare. Her ears perked, listening to what would need to be duplicated, and what would need to be outdone. She could see beads of sweat running down Kith's face. She could tell he was nervous. And why shouldn't he be? She had held the position of pride for over three months.   
  
Kith took a breath and set down his alto saxophone. Then he and the rest of the band of warriors looked nervously at their leader, the great Nixon.   
  
Nixon frowned and scribbled something on a piece of paper with a dull stub of a pencil he held. Then, he sighed, scratched behind his ear with the pencil, and pointed the pencil at her. 

"OK Kiree... You're next." 

Kiree's blood ran cold as she rifled through her music to find the piece. "Shaker Variants... That's not that hard. I can beat Kith again!" She unfolded it and set it in front of her, and pulled her saxophone into place.   
  
She took a deep breath and exhaled through the mouthpiece. Instead of a tone, a muffled squeak resonated out of her reed and into the air. Kiree could feel her face burning with shame and embarrassment, and across the room in the clarinet section she saw her friend Bri's face crumple up in sympathy.   
  
Kiree continued the piece. Her ears were deaf to her own playing, and Kiree could only "hear" her playing on the faces of the people around her. Her fingers were slippery with sweat, and she barely avoided hitting a G# key with her left pinky finger.   
  
Finally, it was over. She stopped playing and collapsed into her chair. Kith grinned smugly at her and patted his instrument.   
"You're outta that chair girl," he whispered. "I will be the soloist." Kiree said nothing, just glared at him and turned to face Nixon. 

Kiree hated Kith. She never knew why he was such a jerk all the time... Many suspected it was because he was an associate of Diabola, the evil spirit of the key of Eb. It was told that many alto saxophones had submitted to Diabola's evil ways, and joined her to cause evil amongst the members of the band. Kiree had never seen Diabola. It was also said that Diabola's spirit could only dwell within the saxophones of those with evil intentions. 

Nixon sat in thought for a moment, and then scribbled more words on the paper. Every scratch of the pencil sounded like a threat to Kiree. 

Finally, Nixon stood and held the paper up to his eye level. After adjusting the glasses on his head he spoke. "OK Saxes... this is the new order. First chair..." 

Kiree, Kith and the other two saxophones Pelo and Tiy sat up in their chairs hopefully. 

"First chair Kiree... Second chair Tiy, third chair Pelo, fourth chair Kith."   
  
Bri sprang up in her chair and let out a cry of joy, just as Kiree was exhaling a sigh of relief.   
  
Kith smirked at Kiree and gathered up his possessions. "Ha! You got lucky this time, Kiree... Next time, I'll beat you good... I'll have help!" 

Kiree smiled. "We'll see Kith. But for now, I get the solo in the concert!"   
  
She couldn't help being smug with him. Kith was always so mean to everyone. He deserved it.   
  
Niki and Bri, Kiree's two best friends in band, grinned at her from across the room. Niki was an oboe player, and Bri held her place as fifth chair clarinet with pride.   
  
Kiree signed them both a message as Tiy and Pelo carried their possessions up two chairs.   
  
Tiy laughed as he dropped into the second chair. "We beat him again, Kiree." 

Kiree shrugged. "Only because he never practices!"   
  
Pelo added in on their conversation. "Associates of Diabola never have to practice!"   
  
The three saxophones laughed, and Kith glared icily at all three of them. 

"Yes, laugh now. But when my mistress Diabola is done with her engagements at Adnawite, I'll see to it that no band member will ever laugh at me again!" 

Nixon quieted the band and spoke to them. "Quiet, my Warriors... Next year, we will go off to battle and be the rulers of all the city of Revned! But for now, we will be the best group at the concert of Boettcher! Trumpets, it's time for your challenges." 

Up in the trumpets section, the first chair trumpet Marc was concentrating on the challenge ahead. Marc had been in first chair ever since the Warriors had arrived at Natsnud. Only the first three trumpets were involved, so all the proud brass player would have to do would be to defeat his two inferior comrades... 

"Marc, you go first." Nixon said.   
  
Marc inserted the mute of his trumpet and took a quick glance around the room. He couldn't help but notice the look of pure evil that was spread across the now last chair saxophone Kith.   
  
arc took a deep breath and played his hardest for the forte measure. But oddly, instead of a rich note, the sound came out muffled and squeaky. It got higher and squeakier as he continued playing, and by the time the 12 measures were over, Marc's sound was reduced to a pale squeak.   
  
The room gasped. Marc looked in shock at his trumpet, and noticed the off-color French horn tuning slide crudely jammed in where his trumpet slide should have been.   
  
No one was laughing but Kith.   
  
Marc's face turned red and burned with shame as he buried his face in his hands for the rest of the challenge.   
  
When the other two trumpets had finished playing, Nixon barked out the new chair placements. Marc did not hear his voice he only slid down two chairs into third.   
  
He looked angrily at the saxophone section... Kith was laughing loudly at his own practical joke. How could that heartless woodwind pull such a trick on him?   
  
Marc's thoughts wouldn't settle.   
  
Kith would pay for his act of evil...   
  
Marc had the trumpet gods on his side! And the trumpet gods, like the trumpets themselves, had tempers of fury...   
  
Kiree stared coldly at the boy who was sitting at fourth chair, laughing boisterously at Marc's misfortune. She had a feeling that this was no ordinary joke... Marc and the rest of the trumpets would retaliate against the saxophones -no, the woodwinds- fiercer than ever!   
  
"Oh Kith... what have you done now?" 


	3. Enter the Good Guys

instruments war-3 A/N: Another chapter from Barbara Fett.   


That summer night, at the end of Adnawite's first day of band camp, was warm and clear. Everyone in the marching band had gone home for the evening. They were eating dinner, practicing, or just relaxing after the long, hot day. Those who were in the alto sax section were preoccupied with the strange things that had happened that day. 

Last year, the trumpet section had been a nice enough crowd, and some of them had been good friends with some of the alto saxes. This year, they had all become bitter and unfriendly, especially to the alto saxes. Mike, the trumpet section leader, had hidden Kristen's mouthpiece (Kristen was the alto sax section leader) and laughed as she searched frantically for it. She'd finally found it in one of the paper bins on the wall of the band room. The other trumpets had made it a point to step on the heels of the alto saxes whenever possible, even while marching. 

All the alto saxophonists were asleep by 9:00. At 9:30, their adventure began. 

A sudden feeling of cold and vulnerability awoke Kristen. Sne jumped to her feet and yelped when she discovered that she was in an empty field, still in her pajamas. Everyone in her section was around her, similarly dressed and waking up to this inexplicable reality. 

"Kristen!" exclaimed Angela, when she saw her section leader. "What's going on?" 

"I don't know!" answered Kristen. "Did you just wake up here, too?" 

"Yeah!" 

"Come here, alto saxes," said a loud voice. 

The teenagers fell silent. A bright glow was coming from within a group of trees. Unnerved but curious, they walked slowly towards the light. 

Amid the trees stood the most incredible person the students had ever seen. It was a woman who looked too perfect to be real. She was wearing long golden robes and a silver necklace.. The glow was coming from a point just above her. 

"Welcome, children," she said. 

"Who _are _you?" Kristen half-whispered. 

"I am your guardian spirit, and we need your help. My name is Diabola." 

"What? What is all this about?" 

"All right, gather around, people. Here's the big explanation. Is everyone listening?" 

"Yeah," said the students. 

"Good," said Diabola. "This is the story of who I am, what I want, and why I need your help. I'll start with my history. I appeared when our instrument was first invented, which wasn't really all that long ago. It took me a while, but I figured out who I was, what I was doing, and who my enemies were. They are the trumpet gods." 

"_Trumpet gods?_" said Kristen. 

"Oh, absolutely. Did you notice anything strange about the trumpet section today?" 

"Yes! They hate us now!" 

"That's because they're being possessed. The trumpet gods have control of the entire section right now. The only way to stop them is to fight back against them and be true to your instrument." 

"But they're our friends!" 

"Maybe they are, but the gods aren't; they're evil, not to mention very stupid, and they're using your friends for their purposes. They'll destroy the unity of your whole band unless you stop them." 

"What do we do?" 

"Every time they do something mean, you just stand up for yourselves. Fight back, if you have to. I'll be watching you as much as I can." 

"One more question," said Kristen. "How did we get here?" 

Diabola smiled. "I transported you. It's a perk of being a guardian spirit. When you're ready to go home, just lie down and I'll send you back." 

Kristen lay down on the grass. In a moment, she was back in her bed. She sighed and tried to go back to sleep. _What in the world have we gotten ourselves into?_


	4. First Blood

A/N: Another chapter from Galaxy Girl.   


Meanwhile, at Natsnud Middle School, the last day of school was rapidly approaching and the students couldn't be happier. 

The band students were especially happy though, because only three days earlier, they had returned from their concert at the Great Hall of Boettcher with the top scores of any school in the county. 

Kiree and Bri were walking through the hallway on the way home on that beautiful day in the last week of May. Two more days until school was out! After a quick stop in the band room, the Saxophone and the Clarinetist were in a rush to catch the bus before it left without them. 

Bri was laughing at a good joke told by Kiree, until she saw something that made her gasp. 

"Oh NO! Here comes trouble!" 

Kith was walking down the hall smugly, shoving everyone out of his way. 

Kiree frowned angrily. "I don't get him. He's been acting like such a creep ever since the concert at Boettcher was over!" 

Kith went towards the soda machines, and upon seeing Bri and Kiree, he grinned and pushed his messy hair back. "Hello ladies." 

"Get lost!" yelled Bri as she and Kiree quickly ducked out of the crowd. 

"Ew SICK! He was flirting with us!" Kiree gagged. 

"What do you think about him?" Bri asked curiously. They were almost to the door before she responded. 

"Well... I think he's a stuck-up, self centered creep who deserves to be slapped!" Kiree said. 

Suddenly, their conversation was cut short by a muffled squeal coming from near the soda machines. A throng of kids had jammed up the hallway, and it appeared that there was something going on. 

Kiree and Bri raced over just in time to see Robbie, the fourth chair trumpet player, lying face-up on the ground. Kith stood over him, and was digging the heel of his brand new Reebok into his stomach. 

"You wanna try butting ahead of me again?" Kith sneered. 

"N-n-no sir..." Robbie stuttered. 

Kith grinned wickedly and pressed hard on Robbie's stomach. Robbie let out a grunt and Kith laughed. 

"You stupid trumpet... Don't you know that messing with an alto sax is the worst thing that you could do?" 

"Kith, leave him alone!" Bri cried. 

"Stay out of this!" Kith snarled as he turned back to him victim. "Soon, all of you trumpets are going down. Do you hear me?" 

Kiree grabbed Kith's shoulder and tried to force him off of Robbie. "Come on Kith, enough's enough!" 

Kith shrugged her hand away and stomped hard on Robbie. "Lay off, Kiree!" 

"Please stop it!" Robbie murmured. 

Suddenly, Kith felt a tap on the back of his shoulder. "Kiree, I told you to lay off!" 

Kith turned around, and the next thing he knew, he was on the floor. 

Marc stood over him, his fist still clenched in fury. 

Kith grabbed his split lip and cried out, "Jeez Marc, what was that for? I'm just playing!" 

Marc reached down and helped Robbie to his feet. Robbie then ran away, but changed his mind and came back to see the action. 

"You humiliated me months ago, Kith... It's time to pay!" Marc said wickedly. He grabbed Kith's collar and yanked him off the ground. Now upon his feet, Kith was quickly back off of them when Marc slugged him in the gut. 

"Oh yeah? Bring it on!" Kith yelled. He leaped up and the fight began. 

Kith was fast for a chubby kid, but Marc definitely dominated. Kith was sent down several times, while Marc remained standing. 

Kith wiped the blood from his lip onto his sleeve, and groaned at Marc. "I'm just getting started!" 

Marc shrugged, and punched Kith in the face. Kith screamed and hit the floor, holding his bleeding nose and doubled over in pain. 

The by-standers gasped, and Marc smiled at his opponent. Kith sat up slowly, and the circle of kids widened. 

"You'll pay for this, trumpet boy... You'll pay! I know someone who can help me, and soon, we alto saxes will RULE THE BAND!" 

"What are you yammering about, Kith?" Marc laughed. 

"I'm yammering about the fact that soon, the trumpet section will be no more!" 

"Kith, stop it!" said a teacher who just happened to be passing by. "You're being ridiculous! And as for you Marc, you got him down, OK? You can all leave now!" 

Marc grinned and Robbie patted him on the back as the two trumpet players disappeared into the crowd. Soon, the group was broken up. 

"And as for YOU Mr. Davis," the teacher said, turning to Kith. "I think an office referral is in order! You stay right here while I go get the principal." 

Kiree stopped to stare at the kid who only years before had been a sweet kid who was kind to everyone. He and Marc used to hang out together, too. 

"Whatt're you lookin at?" Kith sneered at her. 

"Why are you acting like this, Kith?" 

"That doesn't matter Kiree. What does matter is... There's a war brewing between the trumpets and the saxophones... Which side are you going to be on?" 

And with that, Kith turned on his heels and left Kiree to gape at the meaning of his quote. 


End file.
